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This year Disney California Adventure is featuring a brand new holiday festival called Viva Navidad. It showcases Latino holiday traditions with music, food, and fun!

Viva Navidad!

The colorful celebration has taken over the Paradise Garden area of Disney California Adventure and has some really fabulous food offerings now through January 6, 2014.

I recently visited the new snack cart, which is located just to the left of Goofy’s Sky School.

Viva Navidad Snack Cart

Here you can find a handful of authentic Mexican treats that make for a perfect snack while watching the Viva Navidad Street Party. The menu features three traditional snacks as well as Abuelita Hot Chocolate, assorted Coca Cola Beverages and some specialty cotton candy.

Viva Navidad Snack Cart Menu

My absolute favorite item were the Bunuelos with Cajeta. I was lucky enough to try these delicious little crisps the night before hitting the snack cart at a media event for Viva Navidad. I can’t even tell you happy I was to know that that they’d be available throughout the holidays!

The ones at the event were a little smaller and seemed to have more cinnamon and sugar than the ones I purchased at the cart the next day.

Bunuelos with Cajeta Presentation at the Media Event

An order of Bunuelos is $4.74 and comes with two crisp flour tortillas sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. For your dipping needs, a side of Cajeta (caramel) is served up in a little plastic container.

Display Bunuelos

When you order, the two Bunuelos come in a little paper bag, perfect for breaking off little pieces and not making a mess since the crumbs and excess sugar & cinnamon fall right into the bag.

Fresh Order of Bunuelos with a Side of Cajeta

Think of Bunuelos as flat crispy churros. So delicious and when dipped in caramel, very sweet!

The night of the media event I ate mine with caramel, but when I went back the next day, I skipped it. Mostly because I was walking while eating, but also because it kicks up the sweet factor a little too much for me.

Bunuelos con Cajeta

Next up we’ve got Chips and Salsa de Molcajete. For $3.75 you get a plate of chips with a side of salsa. I decided not to purchase and try this one because it didn’t seem convenient to walk around with; and in my opinion, it seemed a bit pricey for what you get.

I guess I’m too used to getting my free chips and salsa pre-meal at most Mexican restaurants…. I would like to try the salsa though — maybe next time. And if you are wondering, Molcajete just means it was made using a stone grinder. I had to Google that!

Chips and Salsa Display

When I saw the Cajuzinhos, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. The description simply reads “Trio of Mini Peanut Kisses.” For $5.50, I figured it must be something special, so I went for it.

Cajuzinhos

I was quite surprised when I bit into one. Totally not at all what I had pictured in my head. I thought it would be dry and crumbly…

Trio ofCajuzinho Close Up

But I was way wrong. Moist, dusted with sugar and topped with a peanut, the cookies reminded me of a peanut butter cookie dough ball. Not squishy like an uncooked ball of dough, but sort of half baked and mixed with chopped peanuts.

This treat was a pleasant surprise & I really enjoyed them!

Cajuzinho Cross Section

The final item we grabbed was some of the specialty cotton candy. It’s Apple Cinnamon flavored and was quite good! My boys devoured it.

Specialty Cotton Candy

Overall

Overall, I was very impressed with the food offerings & entertainment of the Viva Navidad celebration. There are some great snack options as well as a Viva Navidad takeover menu at Paradise Garden Grill. And besides, where else can you see Goofy dancing with maracas on his shoes!?!

Have you been over to the Viva Navidad celebration at Disney California Adventure? Did you try any of the new offerings? I know I can’t wait to get over there and try some more!

7 Comments

im curious about the hot chocolate.. anything special about it? is it worth giving it a try? i definitely want to try the cotton candy! i never got to try the pumpkin spiced one. Does anyone know if they still carrying those?

@M – It is Mexican Hot Chocolate and has a bit of a cinnamon flavor to it. It’s quite tasty. I haven’t had it in a long time, so not sure if this one is exactly the same, but my guess is that it probably is. Also, I was told by the cast member at this stand that the Pumpkin Spice cotton candy would be available the week of Thanksgiving!

Hello dear M!!:
You can buy “Chocolate Abuelita”, almost in any supermarket!!(try the ethnic aisle), comes in an octagonal, yellow/red package with the pic of an old lady drinking chocolate, and making it at home is a breeze: just think one of the (I think each package has six) chocolate tablets to TWO cups of milk, just warm up milk, add tablet, (always stirring!), and when it dissolves…Mexican hot chocolate!!(I like this one, but you can add more/less chocolate or milk to your personal taste)
Salud and Feliz Navidad!!

Thanks Heather! Do you know if it’s fresh Mexican chocolate or its the same hot coco you get at the parks but with cinnamon? Haha either way I’ll try it. Thanks for the cotton candy update! BTW I seen you at Disneyland during the monstrous summer event and was too shy to say hi.. And you were with your boys. Big fan.